“In 2006, researchers at the University of Alberta tried to replicate a 1993 mouse study. But they found that the stress levels of their mice, when put through an anxiety-producing maze, differed from the original data. They attributed this discrepancy in results to minor variations between laboratories, but could something else have been amiss?” ~ learn more
“Slippery proteins in the brain’s blood vessels form a protective barrier that breaks break down with age, studies in mice show.” ~ learn more
I rarely hear scientists expressing confidence like this: “And while the BCL6 discovery came through a study on mice, researchers are confident it will translate to human physiology.” ~ learn more
This sounds like science fiction, but I think it’s not. “In an effort to enhance the research abilities of biologists, Stanford University researchers have discovered that applying a popular food coloring to the skin of mice allowed them to see through to the rodents' internal organs and other structures.” ~ learn more or see study
This is a very provocative analysis. Are there implications for aging science? “Let's start with calorie restriction, shall we? Everyone knows that it slows aging, isn't it? Well, not really. Take a look at the chart below… Each bar represents a genetically distinct strain of mice. A bar above 0 indicates that CR resulted in lifespan extension, and below 0 indicates lifespan shortening. As you can see, the effect was…
What a breakthrough! This builds on the researcher’s 2021 finding that linked DNA breaks with learning. “When a long-term memory forms, some brain cells experience a rush of electrical activity so strong that it snaps their DNA. Then, an inflammatory response kicks in, repairing this damage and helping to cement the memory, a study in mice shows.” ~ learn more
“Scientists achieved this effect by changing each animal’s ‘epigenome’, one feature of which is a collection of chemical tags that are bound to DNA and affect gene activity. After the treatment, activity of the targeted gene dropped and remained low for the 11 months over which the mice were studied.” ~ learn more
Our bodies produce keratin, and it’s already added to shampoos to strengthen hair. When researchers encapsulated it in microspheres, good things happened. “In the keratin microsphere-treated group, hair regrowth commenced on the second day after treatment, with the growth rate subsequently accelerating. The effect was similar to that seen in minoxidil-treated mice.” ~ learn more
So much potential! “An alternative to genome editing can reduce the activity of a gene that affects cholesterol levels without changing the DNA sequence — and does so for an extended period, according to a study in mice.” ~ learn more
It’s hard not to get excited about the cutting edge lab results that the ability to edit DNA has unlocked. “If we give it to aged mice, they rejuvenate. If we give it to young mice, they age slower. No other therapy right now can do this,” says Amor Vegas. ~ learn more